Village gives red light to prostitution ritual and opts for marriage instead

It was the grit of a teenager and dogged persuasion of a voluntary organisation that changed the course of history for a non-descript village in Gujarat.

The Saranias of Vadia village in Banaskantha district - notorious for traditionally pushing its women and girls into prostitution - saw their first community marriage on Sunday.

Hemi Sarania, the girl who had declined to enter the 'traditional profession' a few months ago, has been able to change her destiny. Along with her, several other girls defied the age-old way of life - bhukh (hunger) and dhando (trade).

The village saw its first community marriage with seven girls tying the knot on Sunday

Teenager Hemi revolted against the revolting practice last year, telling her family that she intends to get married. As she pushed the walls, the community woke up to the idea of a community marriage. As many as seven girls tied the knot while 12 more got engaged in the village on Sunday.

The credit for the change goes to an NGO, the Vicharta Samuday Samarthan Manch (VSSM), which has been working for the nomadic and de-notified communities in Gujarat.

The NGO first worked towards enhancing the infrastructure of the village. Then it gradually injected the idea of marriage, with Hemi being the first to stand up against the practice.

Saranias are one of the 28 nomadic communities in Gujarat with an approximate population of 50,000. The state government has been trying to settle them in various locations, but have mostly failed in its efforts.

A young bride prepares for her wedding

Poverty and lack of livelihood
avenues had propelled Sarania women in Vadia village towards
prostitution to keep their hearth burning. Though the practice started
as compulsion, it soon became a tradition.

'When
Hemi reneged against the custom, Mittalben promised us money for the
marriage,' Ramesh Sarania, Hemi's brother and a community leader, said.

'We got her married and this is a new beginning for the community,' he added.

'It
has not been easy. It took a long time to earn the trust of the
community. Once they trusted us things began to move,' the NGO's chief
Mittal Patel said.

'The hard work finally paid off and one can hope that from here on the journey of these women will be towards a life of dignity,' she added.

Not everyone was happy though. The pimps in the area were quite angry.

'There were threatening phone calls and messages,' Mittal said.

'However, the police had been cooperating since the beginning. For the past three days, there have been heavy police protection and everything passed peacefully,' she added.

The event has woken up the government too. Banaskantha district collector J.B. Vora and other government officials attended the ceremony and presented gifts to the newlyweds.

In Wadia, with the pimps ruing their fate, the families celebrated with gusto.

'I was in the trade and now don't entertain clients anymore,' Joni Sarania said.

'It is a great thing that the situation has changed and our daughters will not have to go through what we have endured. At least their lives will be saved,' she said.